Interchangeable mixing chamber for douches



Aug. 28, 1962 w. B. MANDELL INTERCHANGEABLE MIXING CHAMBER FOR DOUCHES Filed Sept. 6, 1961 INVENTOR. WILLIAM B MANDELL BY w illllll FIG. I

. 1... L l i. luu MAMLJ ATTORNEY ttes This invention deals with an interchangeable mixing chamber for enabling the use of one or more solid or liquid asepsis media for feminine hygiene. More specifically, it relates to a yoke frame in which rides a movable insert carrying ducts adapted to employ solid or liquid agents through which water or solution may be forced. Such a mixing chamber is suitable for use with vaginal douches, such as the one disclosed in copending application Serial No. 107,354, filed on May 3, 1961, by William B. Mandell.

In feminine hygiene, there is often need to use an aqueous or liquid solution, or a solid, which is water soluble, or both, one after the other. Instead of employing en tirely new paraphernalia for each type of treatment, it is possible, by means of the present invention, to employ only one device which is adaptable, by a mere turning of a knob and shifting of a duct bar, to easily shift from one type of treatment to the other.

This invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which a preferred embodiment is described and in which FIGURE 1 illustrates a front view, partially cut away, of a preferred type of mixing chamber, while FIGURE 2 depicts a side view thereof. A cross-sectional top view, taken along line 33 of FIGURE 1, is presented in FIGURE 3. FIG- URE 4 shows a right side cross-sectional view of the duct bar, taken along one of the ducts, while FIGURE 5 depicts a left side cross-sectional view of the same bar taken along the other duct. Similar numerals refer to similar parts in the various views.

Referring again to the drawing, numeral 6 represents a hard plastic flat yoke frame having a hollow interior 7 which is wider at the top than at the bottom. This yoke frame has top 8, narrower bottom 9, and sides and 11. Projecting upwardly from top 8 is centrally-disposed inlet housing 12. Projecting downwardly from bottom 9 is centrally-disposed threaded outlet nipple 13. Mounted within hollow center 7 on pivot 14 is duct bar 15, preferably made of hard plastic, which is to move sideways on pivot 14.

Inlet housing 12 has a threaded central opening 16 in which rides threaded hollow pin 17 having a tapered bottom end 18. Pin 17 terminates at its upper end with stopcock 19 and inlet nipple 20. Hole 21 passes entirely through nipple 20 and through pin 17 and tip 18, being closed off only by stopcock 19. Flange 22 on pin 17, as well as gasket 23, enable pin 17 to be tightly secured to inlet housing 12.

Mounted within the open inner portion 7 of frame 6 is the hard plastic flat duct bar which is wider at the top than at the bottom. Drilled lengthwise through plate 15 are adjacently-disposed ducts or canals 24 and 25. The bottom of plate 15 is centrally-pivoted at 14 and this pivot enables the top of the plate to be moved sidewise so that either duct 24 or 25 may be disposed in register with tapered tip 18 of pin 17, thereby enabling the screwing in of the tip into either duct entrance in outside sealing relation therewith. Since pin 17 is provided with hole 21, it is possible to force liquid from the hole 21 through duct 25, for example, as in FIGURE 1, without outside leakage of fluid. A removable cover plate 26 is provided on the front of frame top 8 to more easily facilitate insertion or removal of duct plate 15 from the unit. This cover plate 26 is snapped into place via pins 27 which seat into small holes in frame top 8. Bot- 3,051,174 Patented Aug. 28, 1962 tom 15' of duct plate 15 rides in arcuate hollow well 28 in frame bottom 9.

Outlet nipple 13 is provided with two adjacently-disposed canals 29 and 30 which are designed to position in register with ducts 24 or 25, respectively, when either of the ducts is in register with pin tip 18. Fitting over the tip of nipple 13, in outside sealing relation, is connector 31 having an off-center hole 32 which can be disposed in register with the outlet of either canal 29 or 30 after centering (and sealing) tip 33 has been inserted in the canal (29 or 30) which is not to be used. Connector 31 preferably is made of rubber or plastic of medium hardness. Locking sleeve 34 which screws on nipple 13 has inner lip 35 which seats on shoulder 36 of connector Mounted in the front portion of duct plate 15 and over duct 25 is a tablet-containing capsule indicated generally as 37. This is mounted in threaded hole 38 whose axis is perpendicular to the axis of duct 25. Forming a part of capsule 37 and screwed into hole 38, is hollow cylinder 39 having peripherally-disposed holes 40 in line with duct 25, thus permitting fluid from pin 17 (FIG. 4) to pass through holes 49 and through hollow cylinder 39 in which is inserted a cylindrical screen 42. Screen 42 has open end 41 to enable insertion therein of an antiseptic tablet 43 which is water-soluble and is prevented from entering duct 25 by screen 42, since the open side 41 of the screen faces blank wall 15" of duct plate 15. The other end of cylinder 39 is attached to knurled knob 44, this enabling one to screw out capsule 37, when desired. A gasket 45 is provided to insure against leakage to the outside.

Disposed on the face of plate 15, in register with duct 24 (FIG. 5), is a threaded hole 46, directed downwardly into duct 24 at an angle of about 30, for screwing therein of an ampoule or container of liquid antiseptic (not shown) or other solution which is to be injected into duct 24 by the Venturi action of water or other liquid passing through duct 24.

When in use, if a soluble solid tablet is to be employed for the douche, capsule 37 is unscrewed, and tablet 43 is inserted through open end 41 of screen 42, and the capsule is screwed tightly against gasket 45. Then, plate 15 is moved sidewise until the upper end of duct 25 faces tapered pin end 18, and pin 17 is screwed in tightly to avoid outside leakage. Connector 31 is positioned as in FIG. 1, so that canal 32 serves as a continuation of canal 30 which, in turn, is a continuation of duct 25. In the treatment, water is flowed through opening 21 (stopcock 19 being open), and it thus flows through pin 17, duct 25, and through holes 40. It dissolves tablet 43 as it flows through duct 25, thence through canal 30, and finally out through canal 32. When the unit is made of transparent plastic, particularly the duct bar 15, it is possible to observe the flow of fluid during use.

If a liquid medicament is to be employed, pin 17 is unscrewed until tip 18 is free of duct 25. Thereafter, duct plate 15 is moved sidewise until the upper end of duct 24 is in register with pin end 18. The pin is screwed in tightly into duct 24 to insure against leakage. The vial or other vessel containing the medicament (not shown) is screwed into opening 46. Then, sleeve 34 is unscrewed and connector 31 is reversed, so that tip 33 is inserted into canal 30, leaving canal 32 to be in line and serve as a continuation of canal 29. Then, as Water or other liquid is flowed through opening 21 in pin 17, it flows through tip 18, thence through duct 24 where it picks up medicament by virtue of the Venturi effect, and the fluid passes out of duct 24, and through canal 29, and finally is discharged out through canal 32.

I claim: 1. An interchangeable mixing chamber comprising a flat yoke frame having a hollow center, and having a top,

sides and bottom, a centrally-disposed inlet housing projecting upwardly from said top and having a threaded vertical hole passing therethrough, a threaded pin designed to ride in said hole, said pin terminating at the top with a shut-01f means, and at the bottom with a tapered end, a flange attached on said pin between said ends and designed to engage the top of said housing in outside sealing relation, a flat duct bar having front and rear walls and pivotally-mounted in said hollow center at its bottom and to the center of said frame bottom, two generally vertically-directed ducts adjacently-disposed in said bar in a manner such that sidewise movement of said bar in said frame would place the upper end of either duct in register with the tapered end of said pin which, when screwed into either duct, would be joined therewith in outside sealing relation, an outlet nipple centrallydisposed and projecting downwardly from said frame bottom, two canals disposed generally vertically and penetrating said nipple and said frame bottom and positioned in a manner such that, when either of said ducts is in register with said pin, the upper end of one of said canals is in register with the lower end of the pin-positioned duct, screened capsule means penetrating the duct that for insertion therein of a solid medicament to :be fed in solution form into said positioned duct, and an opening also penetrating the duct bar for insertion therein of a liquid container end to feed liquid into the other duct.

2. An interchangeable mixing chamber according to claim 1 in which there is attached to said nipple, in outside sealing relation, a connector having a verticallypenetrating canal connectable with one of the two canals of said nipple. V V p 3. An interchangeable mixing chamber according to claim 2 in which the connector has an upwardly-protruding tip designed to seal off either one of said canals in said nipple.

4. An interchangeable mixing chamber according .to claim 1 in which the duct bar has a threaded hole penetrating the front wall of said bar and terminating at a duet, a threaded hollow perforated cylindrical capsule fitting in said hole, a cylindrical screen having an open end facing the rear wall of said bar and disposed in said capsule, and a closed end for said capsule, serving as a finger knob therefor and fitting against the front wall of said bar in outside sealing relation therewith.

5. An interchangeable mixing chamber according to claim 1 in which at least the duct bar is made of transparent plastic.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,264,775 Coles Apr. 30, 1918 1,606,366 Hillrnan Nov. 9, 1926 2,832,341 Stack Apr. 29, 1958 

